Appetite for destruction...

No, it's not Guns n' Roses but I sort of feel like I was in a mosh pit. I can't get enough of all the great workout options that seem to be available right now. Running is going well but I definitely over did it my first month back in my shoes. This last weekend was the topper with track, tempo then hill repeats followed by a great run in the gorge. At boot camp last Friday we did some what seemed at the time to be harmless sprints. Mark had us barefoot on the mats that travel the length of his gym. We were to sprint on our toes then do a strength move that he chose in between. At the time this was no big deal but during my second hill repeats on Saturday my soleus muscle started screaming big time. I stopped and loosened up my shoe but the pain just continued but so did I. That night I iced, massaged, rolled and poked at my calf which helped a tiny bit. Walking was not fun and my calf had absolutely no definition due to swelling. But, did I call off my Sunday run....NO! Am I smart....not so much!

We lucked out with a window of great weather on Saturday morning. I got talked into hill repeats by the gang so I hold no responsibility for my pain.....it's their fault. :) When we all arrived on Saturday morning it was hilarious to see everyone in Black Saturday attire without any reminders. We all headed for the warm up in the balmy weather. Dr. T. came out for the fun and he too was dressed in all black. The hill repeats were mild ones...sort of beginner strength, perfect for me. Micheal wanted big boy repeats but I just couldn't do it, at least I showed some level of restraint! Of course I brought up the rear on both repeats but I managed to make both hills in almost the exact time. They were slow but I was able to run steadily every step despite the peg leg I brought with me. Just as we were finishing it started to pour! Serious rain was falling but that didn't stop Steve from insisting we do 25 push ups in the mud. He is so excited about Christmas Camp and it's only November! Being the suckers we are every single one of us dove into the muddy road to do our part. A good day of running.

Sunday we chose a solid 16 mile route in the gorge that yielded over 4,300 feet of climb and descent. My leg was a mess and just before the last climb I begged for Advil. Popping 3 Advil to dull the pain in my inflamed calf gave me hope I could make it back to the car in one piece. I have been pretty fortunate with injuries during my running life but I know when something is on the edge of being bad and that's how I felt about my calf. It was definitely not torn but I was on the edge of a bad strain. The run was awesome and again we dodged a weather bullet. I was certainly beat from the weeks workouts.

As we drove home I was hoping I hadn't gotten myself into a pickle as I watched my calf grow in size. The rest of the day it was the normal routine of icing and massaging. It was swollen and sore but I felt if I took a day off and was careful it would be okay. I am leading a track clinic on Tuesday mornings and I wasn't sure how that was going to go, yikes. Monday was definitely an off day for running and my calf started to show some definition and the soreness became more localized than just the entire calf. By Tuesday morning I was able to walk pretty well and proceeded with the track clinic. We did a good warm up, the 3X200 meters, 2X400 meters and 1X200 meters so it wasn't a killer track workout but I could feel it. I actually think it helped move the fluid out of my muscle but I am keeping a eye on it. Maybe I am over paranoid from ignoring the early signs with my knee and am being overly cautious.

I have done a relatively good job of reining myself in with running. The gym is another story. I have been doing doubles with weights pretty much everyday except Friday, Sat, and Sun. To top it off Mark has created "Get Hammered" which is his version of Crossfit. I was like a kid in a candy store and couldn't get my punch card fast enough. I was pretty excited about this kind of workout but with no Crossfit gyms anywhere near my house it was easy to forget it. But, when Mark got this going I knew I would be doing it. To top it off his times fit perfectly into my life. He does it every weekday at noon but also on T & Th at 6:30 pm....perfect. Last night Bill, Alex and I all went and it was brutal. Short and sweet but tough. Alex was a machine and I couldn't believe how strong and motivated he was, it was cool. At some point I am going to have to make some choices with my gym routine but right now I just can't! I have a workout problem and I may need an intervention!

This weekend I will get my VDOT at the Autumn Leaves 10K. I ran this last year in very good condition getting a PR. This year is going to be another story.....slow....but it's a starting point and I am thrilled to be getting some good data.